Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | Parents, your toolbox is you! Crying and sleeping problems are more related to parental self-efficacy than to the chosen soothing strategy |
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| Contribution code | D2.094 |
| Authors | |
| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Crying and sleeping problems are common in infants during their first year of life. Parents use various soothing strategies, but it is still unclear whether a specific method supports infants better. In the present study, we therefore examined which parental co-regulation strategies impact crying and sleeping behavior most. For this purpose, we conducted an anonymous online study in which 351 parents were asked about the duration and frequency of crying and the sleeping behavior of their 0-18 month old children. We also assessed parental calming strategies, psychological symptoms, and self-efficacy. We hypothesized that more dysfunctional co-regulation strategies are associated with increased crying and sleep regulation difficulties of the infant. In addition, we expected a negative influence of psychological problems and a positive influence of self-efficacy on infant crying and sleep. Data analysis showed that parents use various soothing strategies, but only a few of the reported strategies correlated with the infants' behavior and behavioral regulation. Based on a two-cluster solution an ANOVA showed a significant effect of cluster affiliation (“more regulated” vs. “less regulated”) in relation to the three behavioral regulation variables (crying duration, waking times, and sleep latency). We found that maternal depressive symptoms and higher self-confidence predicted cluster affiliation. Parents with fewer depressive symptoms and better emotion regulation had children with less pronounced behavioral regulation problems. Furthermore, more confidence in parental abilities predicted better self-regulation. The study highlights the importance of promoting parents' self-confidence and mental health, rather than focusing solely on the specific soothing techniques they use. |